Refectory table



J. J. NASH REFECTORY TABLE Dec. '21, 1948.

s Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 31, 1944 INVENTOR- JOHN J. NASH ATTORNEY.

J. J. NASH REFECTORY TABLE Dec. 21, 1948.

Filed July 51, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR JOHN NAsr-l E ATTORNEY.

Dec. 21, 1948. J. J. NASH 2,456,835

REFECTQRY TABLE Filed July 51, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Dec. 21 1948 s ZPATE NT or Fl or. v 245E835 Y REFECTORY TABLE John J'.Nash,"St.-I louis, M0,, assignor to American Fixture-8; Manufacturing 00., St Louis, Mo, a

. corporation of: Missouri Application July 31, 1944, Serial No. 547,457

- 1 The invention relates in general to refectory table's 'an'djm'ore particularly, to a slide mechanism whereby one ormo're leaves of a refectory table'ina'y h e-pulled out from beneath a main table top or panel and positioned to 'form an extension bf the same.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a table of the type stated which includes-a simple, durable track and .slide construction capable of securely and firmly supporting the extension leaf.

Another "object of the present invention is to provide 'a refectory table having a slide adapted to'secure the leaf in extended position without latches or" other holding means which must be manipulated to release the leaf when it is to be moved from its extended position.

Another object is to provide a track and su port-assembly whichis rugged, long-Wearing, and economical, and may be fabricated by relatively simple production methods for convenient installation inthe table frame.

And with the above and other objects in view, my invention resides in the novel features of form construction, arrangement, and combination of p'art's.presently'describ'ed and pointed out in the claims. p I

In the accompanying drawings (three sheets) Figure 1 is a perspective view of a refectory table embodying the invention;

Figure. 2 is also a perspective view of the refect'oi'y table; partly broken away and in section, showing in more detail the slide construction;

Figure -3 is'an exploded view of the slide, showing the manner in which it is uniquely made up 'of two identical stampings which interfit when reversed; I

"Figure 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4'-' 4oi- Figure 3;

"Figure?! is a top plan view of the assembled slide;

.Figures 6, l, and?! are detail vertical sections taken on the'corresponding section lines of Figlll'e5-i Figure 9 is a det-a'il side view o-fthe tracken'g-a'ging end portion of one of the leaf supports; and

--Figures 10, 11, 12;and 13 are vertical sectional views of thetable 'with'tlie extension leaves moved to different positions as will be referred to beiow.

Referring-now in more "detail and by reference characters to the drawings, A designates a pref ei' redrf'orm of rerectorytabie embodying the present invention "and comprising a rectangular 2 Claims. (Cl. -31156) table frame l having spaced horizontal side-rails 2 mortised or otherwise conventionally secured at "their ends to cross-connecting end-rails 3, and

suitably-mounted at each of the four corners of "the frame I are vertical table legs 4. Secured upon the upper or edgewise faces of the end rails 3, midway between the side-rails 2, are spacer blocks"5 and a central, table-top forming panel "6 is se curelyattachedupon the upper faces thereof. It will be noted inthis connection that there are slot-like spaces s thus provided between the under face of the panel 6 and the upper edges of the rails 2, 3, for receiving sliding leaves 1. Furthermore, the blocks" 5 are somewhat thicker than the leaves 1,. so that when the latter are nested in close fitting relation beneath the panel 6, there will be :suiiicient clearance between the under face of .the'leaves 1 and the upper edges of the rails '2, 3, to permit free movement of leaf-supporting arms 8, which form a. part of slide elements 28, as hereinafter more fully described. It is sufficient here to point out that the mechanical action of the slide elements B is uniquely so arranged that this clearance need only be slightly greater than the vertical thickness of the arm 8, which latter dimension, of course, depends upon the structural strength of the material used and .thesize of theload to be supported. Consequently the deep clearance slots, usually cut into theside rails of conventional refectory tables, become unnecessary, with the result that the side rails 2 are much stronger, and the table A is accordingly much more rugged, than those hitherto provided.

The slide elements B comprise two identical track members 9, each preferably stamped from arelatively heavy gauge sheet metal and provided with'two track slots [0, l0, (see Figure 3) respectively having upper horizontal runs H, H, and lower horizontal runs [2, [2, connected by diagonal runs l3, I3. The upper run of track slot H) terminates in an upwardly and inwardly and downwardly curved detent section M. While being stamped or formed,each track member 9 is provided'witha pressed-up, fiat-topped spacing shoulder l5 and an inwardly bent mounting flange [6, the latter having two vertically spaced elongated apertures I1 and a small round aperture l8 located therebetween. As above stated, the track members 9 are identical, but, when assembled, are reversed end for end, as shown in Figure 3, so that the spacin shoulders l5 respectively abut against the solid metal faces lying between the detent section I4 of the slot l0 and the forward .25, 25, in the track slots l0, l.

sion of a forward section 23 having screw holes 24 for securement to one of the extension leaves 1.

In assembling the slide elements B, an arm 8 is laid against the outer face of a track member 9 with the plate is overlying the lower horizontal runs I2, 12', of the track slots l0, l0, and rollers 25, 25', sized to work in the slots [0, H), are inserted therein and rotatably secured to the plate 1'9 by short studs .26, each having a diametrically reduced tail portion 21 inserted through, and upset against the opposite face of, the plate IS. The rollers 25, 25', have an axial width slightly greater than the thickness of the plate l9 and each stud 26 is provided at its free end with an enlarged head 28, which is substantially larger thanthe width of the track slots 10, I0, so that the arm 8 is hence retained upon the track memher 9 for lengthwise shifting movement along a path determined by the movement of the roller Finally, two track members 9, thus equipped with leaf-supporting arms 8, are assembled in reversed end-to-end relation, as shown in Figure 5, with the spacing shoulders 15 in respective abutment against the face-portions :c and secured by spot-welding, riveting, or in any other suitable manner in the provision of a unitary slide element B. It will, if course, be evident that the overall length of the slide element B is such as to fit snugly between the side-rails 2, so that the outwardly presented faces of the mounting flanges I 6 will abut against the inner vertical faces of the side-rails 2. Obviously the dimensions of the slide elements may be varied dependin upon the size of the table being constructed.

Two such slide elements B are mounted within the table frame I and initially secured adjacent the upper edges of the side-rails 2 by screws 29 driven through the elongated apertures l1. Thereupon the several arms 8 are pulled out into extended position and the leaves I screwed or otherwise suitably secured thereon. Then the slide elements B are tapped gently with a hammer or by means of any other suitable tool adjusted slightly upwardly or downwardly, as the case may be, to level the leaves 1, that is to say, bring the upper faces of the leaves 1 and the panel 6 into co-planar alignment. This can be readily done since the apertures H are elongated and permit a reasonable degree of vertical adjustability 'so long as the screws 29 are not driven down too tightly. After the adjustment has been completed, the slide elements B are permanently secured in adjusted position by driv ing a single snug-fitting screw 30 through the circular aperture l8.

By reference to Figures 10 to 13, inclusive, it will be seen that when the leaf 1 is in extended position for use as an extension of the panel 6 in the formation of an enlarged table top, the arm 8 is supported in an elevated and extended position with its rollers 25, 25', seated respectively in the upper runs H, I I, of the track s ots Ill,

ID. The downwardly inclined terminal of the detent section I 4, in which roller 25 is seated, in 1 effect, locks the leaf 1 in position.

To lower and retract the leaf 1, it is manually j pulled upwardly, overcoming the locking effect and thence outwardly, to the position shown in Figure 11, such tilting being permitted by'the vertical offset 22 in the-arm 8:: Then; the leaf '1 is permitted to drop, the rollenist'udhfi riding, around the semicircular portion of the detent' section l4 while the roller 25' acts as a pivot (see Figure 11). Finally, the leaf T is shoved inwardly, the movement of the rollers 25, 25, along the track slots [0, l0, leveling the leaf 1 and causing it to come to rest in close-fitting nested position beneath the panel 6, as shown in Figure 13.

The leaves I may be returned to the fully ex' tended position shown in Figure 11 by reversing the movements above described and either leaf 1 may be retracted or projected independently of the other leaf or may be moved from one position to the other simultaneously without interference.

As has been above pointed out, the slide elements B may be quickly and economically fabricated as a complete unit by simple production methods. and may be readily. assembled in'the table frame by the mounting flanges l, thereby facilitating manufacture of the table. Furthermore, since the slide elements B are made of metal, the resulting table will be extremely rugged and long-wearing and-the leaves Twill never shift out of proper alignment due to excessive wear as is normally the case in refectory tables which have previously been manufactured, Fina11y,'th'e unique mechanical movementof the arms t is such that great compactness and economy "of space i achieved and the leaves 1 'aresecurely held in extended position without accessoryloclring devices, but nevertheless can be quickly and simply shifted from extended to nested position, It should be understood that changes and modi fications in the form, construction, arrangement,

angles to the plate section, said stampings being adapted to fit in end-for-end reversed relation with their plate sections in spaced parallel .po sition and with the flange section of one stamping extending across and projecting laterally be-' yond the end of the plate sectionof the other stamping, said stampings being, insuch relation, secured rigidly together, each ofsaid stampings being .provided with a pair of complementarily shaped track forming slots having lower portions substantially aligned horizontally with each other and then being inclined upwardly, one end of one slot extending above the adjacent .end portion of the other slot and the other endof the latter-mentioned slot terminating in an upwardly and rearwardly extending return bend,

and slide arms shiftably mounted on said stamp ings and having rollers slots. I

2. In a refectorytable, a slide frame consisting two identical L-shaped stampings each having for movement in' said a relatively long rectangular plate section and a relatively short flange section disposed at right angles to the plate section, said stampings being adapted to fit in end-for-end reversed relation With their plate sections in spaced parallel position and with the flange sections of one stamping extending across and projecting laterally beyond the end of the plate section of the other stamping, said projecting portions of the flanges being provided with a pair of longitudinally aligned spaced slots and a medial circular aperture for receiving attachment means by which the slide may be secured to the framework of a table in which it is to be mounted, said stampings being, in such relation, secured rigidly together, each of said stampings being provided with a pair of complementarily shaped track forming slots having lower portions substantially aligned horizontally with each other and then being inclined upwardly, one end of one slot extending above the adjacent end portion of the other slot and the 6 other end of the latter-mentioned slot terminating in an upwardly and rearwardly extending return bend, and slide arms shiftably mounted on said stampings and having rollers for movernent in said slots.

JOHN J. NASH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

